Dallas Addition Permit Cost (2026)
What the City of Dallas charges to permit a home addition, from the official Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance 32676), effective May 1, 2024 and re-confirmed as current on June 27, 2026.
Direct answer: A home addition in Dallas adds new square footage, so it is priced per square foot under Table A-I. For a typical room addition up to 700 sq ft the rate is $1.07 per square foot - a 400 sq ft addition is $428 for the building permit. Add a $15 technology fee per document and a separate residential plan review (the greater of $0.46 per square foot or $577). Texas has no statewide percentage levy.
How Dallas Prices an Addition Permit
Because an addition creates new floor area, Dallas prices it the same way it prices new single-family construction - per square foot under Table A-I, not by the dollar value of the work. The per-square-foot rate steps down as size grows, so the table below shows the verified formula for each tier.
| Addition size | Building permit formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 700 sq ft | sq ft × $1.07 | 400 sq ft = $428 |
| 701 - 2,350 sq ft | sq ft × $0.34569 + $300 | 1,000 sq ft = $645.69 |
| Technology fee | $15.00 | Per document submitted |
| Residential plan review | greater of $0.46/sq ft or $577 | Billed separately |
| State / local percentage levy | None | Texas has no statewide levy |
Source: City of Dallas Permit Fee Schedule (Ordinance 32676), Table A-I new-construction tiers and residential plan review line. Effective May 1, 2024. The City classifies new square footage under Table A-I; remodeling existing space (with no added footage) is treated as an alteration instead - a flat $181 single-family line or the value-based Table B-I schedule. Confirm which path applies to your scope with the Building Inspection Division.
Worked Example: 400 sq ft Room Addition
A homeowner adds a 400 sq ft room to an existing single-family house - new conditioned square footage, priced under Table A-I.
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Building permit (Table A-I: 400 × $1.07) | $428.00 |
| Technology permit fee (per document) | $15.00 |
| Permit subtotal | $443.00 |
| Residential plan review (the $577 floor governs; $0.46 × 400 = $184) | $577.00 |
| Permit + plan review total | $1,020.00 |
This is the city permit and plan-review cost only. It excludes contractor labor and materials, Dallas Water Utilities charges, and any standalone trade or inspection fees. On a small addition the $577 plan-review floor is larger than the building permit itself - that is normal in Dallas. Final fees are calculated at submittal.
Addition Permit Costs in Other Markets
Addition pricing is set locally and the structure varies widely. Dallas uses a stepped per-square-foot rate with a separate plan-review floor; other markets use a single flat rate or add a statewide percentage levy that Texas does not have.
- Dallas, TX - $1.07 per sq ft up to 700 sq ft (a 400 sq ft addition is $428), plus a $577 plan-review floor; no state levy.
- Austin, TX - additions run through the per-square-foot building permit lines plus a separate addition/remodel plan-review tier; see all Austin permit fees.
- Maryland - county-set, no statewide levy; Montgomery County charges about $0.768 per sq ft and Howard County $0.25 per sq ft plus a tech fee.
- Virginia - a local fee plus a mandatory 2% state USBC levy on top of every permit; see how Virginia's 2% levy works.
Compare the full picture on the Texas hub, or read the head-to-head Austin vs Dallas comparison.
Dallas Addition Permit FAQ
How much is an addition permit in Dallas?
New square footage is priced per square foot under Table A-I. Up to 700 sq ft the rate is $1.07 per square foot, so a 400 sq ft addition is $428 for the building permit. Add a $15 technology fee per document and a separate residential plan review (the greater of $0.46 per square foot or $577).
Is an addition priced by square foot or by value in Dallas?
By square foot. Because an addition creates new floor area, Dallas uses the Table A-I new-construction tiers. Remodeling existing space without adding footage is treated as an alteration instead - a flat $181 single-family line or the value-based Table B-I schedule. Confirm your scope with the Building Inspection Division.
Does Dallas add a state percentage fee on an addition?
No. Texas has no statewide percentage levy. Dallas's only percentage add-on is a 10% surcharge that applies solely inside planned-development, specific-use-permit, and deed-restricted areas - not to ordinary additions.
Why is the plan-review fee larger than the permit on a small addition?
Residential plan review has a $577 floor. On a small addition the per-square-foot building permit (for example $428 at 400 sq ft) can be less than that floor, so the plan-review charge dominates. Both are real, separate line items on the Dallas schedule.
Sources
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City of Dallas Permit Fee Schedule (PDF) Dallas, TX - Permit Fee Schedule, Ordinance 32676; Table A-I new-construction tiers ($1.07/sq ft up to 700; $0.34569/sq ft + $300 for 701-2,350) and residential plan review (greater of $0.46/sq ft or $577). Effective May 1, 2024; re-confirmed current June 27, 2026.